St. Augustine, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2014) – The inaugural World Golf Village Golf Festival is a day-long event celebrating what makes the game great. It will feature interactive activities throughout the day, with something for golf fans of all ages including appearances by Hall of Fame members, a Demo Day at Slammer & Squire, unique playing experiences and golf movies at the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater. The entire event is free to the public and will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. throughout World Golf Village.

The PGA TOUR Grand Champions, a group of former PGA TOUR stars including Hall of Fame members Gene Littler and Doug Ford, will be on site. They will be interacting with fans during panel discussions in the Hall of Fame and at a clinic on the Slammer & Squire driving range.

The Hall of Fame will be open for free all day, and feature tours of its new exhibitions with official historian Dr. Anthony Parker. There will be a Closest to the Pin contest for prizes at the Hall of Fame’s Challenge Hole, including divisions for men, women and children. From 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., guests will be able to play Nintendo Wii Golf on the Museum’s big screen, and there will also be activities for children based on Science of Golf, the Hall of Fame’s education program.

The Demo Day at Slammer & Squire will begin at 10 a.m. and include representatives from PING, Nike, Titleist, Callaway, Oakley and TaylorMade. From 12-1 p.m., the Grand Champions will conduct a special, interactive golf clinic on the driving range. That will be followed with a free golf experience from 2-5 p.m. Players will be allowed to play the Slammer & Squire with Tee It Forward advanced tee boxes and expanded, 8-inch wide golf holes. (Tee times are free, but space is limited and must be reserved in advance.)

The PGA TOUR Academy will be on site throughout the day with a series of unique golf challenges. Guests will be able to play golf cornhole, participate in the long drive contest on the inflatable outdoor simulator and try the extreme flop shot competition. At the Academy itself, there will be a Women’s Clinic from 3-6 p.m., featuring a clinic from GOLF Magazine Top 100 Instructor Anne Cain, women’s golf fashion for purchase, and a special wine tasting.

For the movie buffs, there is a full schedule of golf movies at the IMAX Theater, including “Happy Gilmore,” “Tin Cup” and “Caddyshack.”

Throughout the day there will be plenty of family-friendly activities, including local food trucks along the Walk of Champions from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., live music from local artists Ryan Campbell and the Charlie Walker Band from 12-4 p.m., and bounce houses and beginner golf activities from The First Tee for children.

“We are thrilled that the partners here at World Golf Village and the PGA TOUR Grand Champions are part of this event, which is the first of its kind in Northeast Florida,” said Jack Peter, Chief Operating Officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame. “There are so many things that make golf a wonderful game, and they’ll be on display throughout the Golf Festival. We encourage golf fans of all ages to join us.”

For more information on the World Golf Village Golf Festival, go to WorldGolfHallofFame.org.

See below for the World Golf Village Golf Festival full program of events.

About World Golf Village
World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. is home to the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum and encompasses the flagship Renaissance World Golf Village Resort and adjoining St. Johns County Convention Center; two championship golf courses, Slammer & Squire and King & Bear; Grande Villas at World Golf Village, a Bluegreen Vacation Club resort; Laterra Resort; and the PGA TOUR Golf Academy. Complementing these attractions is the PGA TOUR STOP retail center, Murray Bros. Caddyshack restaurant, the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX® Theater offering 2D and 3D movies and a variety of residential neighborhoods. For more information about World Golf Village or to book a package, visit www.WorldGolfVillage.com.
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As the Founding Partner of the World Golf Hall of Fame and World Golf Village, Shell Oil Company played a lead role in supporting the development and growth of the institution, which opened in 1998. Since then, their continued involvement has led the way for others to join in support of the Hall of Fame’s mission to honor the history of the game by preserving and honoring the history of golf and the legacies of those who have made it great.